Shear



3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN-ron SHEAR F. C. BIGGERT, JR

Filed Aug. 4, `19140 Oct. 7, 1941.

f .0 -m M Oct. 7, 1941. F. c. BIGGERT. JR

sH'EAR 4Filed Aug. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 7, 1941 AUNITED sTATEs PATENT orifice SHEAR Florence c. muere Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., minor eering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 4, 194e, sei-isi No. 351,292 nomma. (ci. isi- 49) to United Eutin This invention relates to the shearing and handlingpf strip material, and while not necessarily soillmited, relates more particularly to shearing metal strip while in motion either for cropping purposes or for cutting preselected lengths and guiding the strip after it is sheared either into coilingv or piling equipment without interrupting thegeneral forward motion of the strip.

In the past considerable diiliculty has been experienced and much time lost at the discharge end of strip producing and processing lines where it has been attempted to operate the lines continuously. To accomplish such objective, it is desirable to either coil the strip without interruption or` shear into preselected lengths and pile it. To do this idual ceiling or piling equipment is required and if excessive looping of the strip is to be avoided, the strip has to be cut and the coils begun on the ily. Y

An object of this invention is to provide a shear `for use in such lines which is adapted to sever the strip without interrupting its forward motion and which is so operable and so equipped with guide means that it is adapted to either crop the strip ends, separate continuous strip into selected coil lengths or sheet lengths, and guide the strip leaving the shear into alternate ceiling or vpiling apparatus depending on the way the strip passing through the shear is conditioned.

by it.

This and various other objects, as well as the various other novel features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which.

lFigure 1 is a sectional view of a shearing line incorporating the invention, the view being taken,Y

on the line I--I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 'l are a series of schematic views illustrating the sequence of operations of Figures is 'a view similartolligure 1, but onv reduced. scale, illustrating a shear line in which sheet pliers are used instead of coilers.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention 'mmdinmmenmatnenumersiiaesshear.

`e. pair of pinch rolls for feeding the strip S into located a pair of deilector rolls I and 4 and a pair of coilers 5 and 6, the latter being equipped with cooperating belt wrappers by means of which -the colling of the strip in the coilers are automatically inaugurated.

Referring in detail to Figures 1 and 2, the shear I is illustrated as comprising a housing made up of a pair of side frames l mounted on a base plate 8 and top and bottom caps 9 and l0 welded or otherwise secured to the side frames l.

Supported within the housing and slidable in suitable guides I2 provided in side frames l is a cross-head like yoke or movable blade carrier I3. The side edges of this yoke have projecting arms Il that engage the guides I2 and operate to strengthen the yoke as well as assist in maintaining the proper alignment thereof in its reciprocating movement. A

,In the central portion of this is a transverse slot I8 through which the strip to be severed is passed and to the upper and lower edges o! which a pair of opposed 'cutting blades Il and i8 are secured by means of screws I9. These blades cooperate in the up and down motion of the movable blade carrier I3 with a stationary bar or blade carrier 20 secured at its ends in recesses l provided therefor in the end frames l. For operating the movable .blade carrier, it is connected pressure chambers 21 and 28 which communicate at peripherally spaced intervals by way of ports 29 and 3i with the sides of the cylinders 25 and 26 at points spaced a short distance from the closed ends of the cylinders.

These pressure chambers 2l and 28 are in turn connected by ducts 32 and 33 with a pair of valve cylinders 34 and 35 to which the operating pressure of -any suitable type is supplied from pressure lines 36 and 31. For controlling the supply of operating pressure `to the pressure chambers 21 and 28, and the power cylinders 25 and 2i spaced pistons 3l and la, and 4l and 42, secured to rods 43 and 44 aremountedin the valve cylinders 34 and 35. These rods 43 and M are in turn connected to the movable blade carrier it wherebythey are actuated with the blade carrier. spaced on the rods 43 and 44 that they never obstruct the inlet .to casings Il and Il of ignatesthe shear as sunit'andthe numeral 2, 55 thepressurelines andi Ontheotherhand At the delivery side of the shear there is The pistons 38 and ll `are so 2. the pistons 39 and 42 are spaced on the rods 43 and -44 so that at the proper time on the out stroke of the pistons 23 and 24 they' close the and bottom plates 3 and I0 and whereby the shearing pressures are imparted directly to the shear housings. In these'head blocks recesses 41 and 48 are provided and to these are connected a pair of ducts 49 and 5i which are in turn connected to the ducts 32 and 33 connecting the pressure cylinders 21 and 28 with the pressure supplying valve cylinders tt and 35. In the duct t9, next to the duct v32, an adjustable control valve 53 is provided and between it and the recess tl a check valve 5t. Likewise inthe duct 5l there are provided an adjustable control valve 55 and a check valve 56. Between the duct 32 and t9 a by-pass duct 5l is connected in which is located another control valve 58. A by-pass duct 5 9 provided with a control valve all is likewise .connected between the ducts 33 and 5E and the ducts 5l! and 59 being connected to the ducts it and 5i between the check valves 5t and 55 and the cylinder recesses il? and at.

Both the power Icylinders 25 and 2% at points beyond the power strokes are provided with exhaust ports t2 and t3. The port t2 is connected by a duct tti with and exhaust chamber t5 which pressure cylinder 28, ducts 33, valve casing 35, ducts 31, valve 69, duct 1I, and mullier 65. That portion of the iiuid, however, which is trapped in the cylinderv after the piston 24 covers the port to the pressure chamber 28 is exhausted through the duct 59 and valve 6l, the valve 6l being provided to regulate this escape to provide the proper cushioning eiect for the piston 24 as it reaches the end of its stroke. f

When the shear is operated in the opposite direction, the action of the parts are the same with the exception that on the upstroke the iiuid in the upper vcylinder 25 is exhausted directly into the muiier t5.

To insure the proper movement of the strip through the apparatus a pair of spaced guides 'i2 and 'i3 are pivotally connected to the carrier i3 at points adjacent the strip opening I6 and to links 'it and l5 pivotally connected to the shear housing opposite the pass line of the pinch rolls 2. At the discharge side of the shear a wedgeshaped guide 'it is secured betweenthe housing l and the upper'deector .roll 3 to insure the strip passing through the slot l5 passing over the upper roll 3 when the carrier I3 is in its upper position and under the upper roll when the carrier is in its lower position. Another guide ll is mounted between the housing l adjacent the yoke i3 and the lower deilecto roll t to insure functions as a muiiler. The exhaust port b3, on y the other hand, is connected by a duct @t with a cushioning receiver (it. This latter element being provided to cushion the downstroke of the moving parts somewhat in the fashion oiE a counter balance to overcome the weight of gravity.

As shown, the pressure supply for the pressure lines 36 and 3l is furnished from a source @l which is connected to these lines by meansof a duct 53 through a two-way valve t9. The valve, when operated in one direction, connects the pressure supply to one pressure line and connects the other pressure line to the atmosphere through a duct ll by way oi the muler t5. y

By way of describing the operation of the shear, assume the various parts thereof are in the positions shown in Figure 3, that is, with the blade carrier I3 at the top oi the upstroke. The valve 69 is turned to connect the pressure supply 6?! with the upper pressure line 3d by means of which the pressure is communicated to the valve cylinder 3d. The piston 3d at this time is above the port 9 and hence the pressure is supplied both to the pressure chamber 2l and the top of the cylinder by way of duct 49, the valve 53 being opened suiliciently to control the supply to the recess 41 that it will not move the piston 23 past the ports until the pressure is completely built up in the chamber 2l; hence, when the other ports the strip passing over the latter rolls when so deflected bythe upper guide it.

As shown in Figure 1 the strip S after leaving the upper deiiector roll 3 passes over a guide table 'it about'the coller 5 being guided thereabout automatically by a belt wrapper 19. Likewise the strip leaving the lower delector roll i passes over 'a deector table di about the coller 6 with the assistance of the' belt wrapper 82.

The pinch rolls 2 and the reels 5 and t are, l

of course, provided with suitable driving means not shown and if 'desired automatic means may be provided for controlling the operation ci the shear. One such means is indicated at t4 and which may take the form of any of a number of are uncovered, the carrier i3 will be driven down under full pressure and at a rapid speed to produce a good cutting operation. It is` for this purpose that the initial movement of the piston 23 is delayed and the pressure chamber is provided.

To insure the two actions of the blade carrier being substantially the same where the same size cylinders 25' and 26 are used which is most efflcient from a design standpoint, the uid forced from this lower cylinder 26 is exhausted into a receiver which functions as a cushion. However, after the port 63 tothis receiver is covered by the lower piston 2t, the remaining iluid is exhausted to the atmosphere byway of the well-known types of ilying micrometers, a speciilc example of which is illustrated and described in Patent No.' 1,963,397 issued on June 19, 1934. to Mr. Carl E. Bedell. Such annit may be'employed to advantage when `strip is welded together to automatically operate the shear each time a weld passes through the micrometer, thus making new coils the same size as may be coming to the shear.

With such an arrangement as soon as one coil is builtup toa satisfactory size the shear may be operated Without interrupting the strip, the

operation of the shear being practically instantaneous, and a new coil started. While one coil is being furnished the other l,can be unloaded so that the coilers are at all times ready for service when needed. Consequently, through the use of this assembly, all obstructions to the movement of the strip is eliminated and no looping of the strip is required.

As shown in Figure 9 the assembly can be modified to handle sheets. This is done by employing the head is made of 'steel or an alloy havingv highly magnetic properties, and is provided with an annular groove on the pressure side into which a suitable solenoid 88 is inserted and held in place by a ring 81 of non-magnetic material such as copper or the like. A groove BQ. in the main working cylinder 25a permits leakage of the fluid from the high pressure chamber 21 so that the full effective pressure may be built up in the space at the top of the piston 23. When a cut is to be effected, a switch 89 previously closed to energize solenoid 86 by connecting it to a source of power designated generally as L1 and In .through connecting wires 9| and 92 to set up anelectromagnetic field, is opened, the solenoid deenergized. and the piston freed from the restraining magnetic force. Of course, the restraining force must .necessarily be greater than the effective fluid pressure tending to actuate the piston, in order to prevent its pulling away from the electromagnetic eld at a time during which no cut is to be made. As an alternative, instead of prof viding. a manually operable switch 89 as shown, automatic time delay relays may be substituted to cooperate with the flying micrometer for making and breaking the electric circuit at proper intervals to cut the moving strip into predetermined lengths, the valve 65, however, being controlled as before.

When this modied cylinder head is incorporated in my invention, it is desirable not to energize the solenoids of either the top or bottom `cylinder heads until the shear has come to rest. Otherwise, the cushioning effect of the fluid trapped behind the piston would be overcome due `to the attracting Vforce of the magnetic field on the pistons and pounding would result.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described 'what I consider to represent its best embodiment. l However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l-` A shear for cutting continuous moving strip material into'shorter lengths comprising a supporting frame, a yoke supporting a plurality of cutting means, means associated with said yoke for controlling the movement in a path substantially perpendicular to that oi.' a continuously moving web of material to be sheared into shorter lengths, a stationary cutting means adapted to cooperate with the movable cutting means and guide means associated with said yoke for restraining the web to pass within the yoke.

2. A shear for cutting continuous moving strip material into shorter lengths comprising Aa frame,

a vertically reciprocable yoke supporting a plu rality of cutting means, a stationary cutting means adapted to cooperate with the movable cutting means, andA guide means associated with said yoke for restraining the web to pass within the yoke.

3. A shear for cutting continuous moving strip material .into shorter lengths comprising a supporting frame, a yoke for supporting a plurality of cutting means, control means comprising a flying micrometer for energizing a solenoid valve to admit iiuid under pressure to a hydraulic motor for actuating and controlling the movement of said yoke in a path substantially perpendicular to that of a continuously moving web of material to be sheared into shorter lengths, a stationary cutting means adapted to cooperate with the movable cutting means and guide means associated with said yoke for restraining the web to pass therethrough.

4. A shear for cutting continuous moving strip material into a plurality of shorter lengths coml prising a supporting frame, a movable yoke supporting a plurality of cutting means, control means' comprising a strip engaging means for periodically actuating a valve to admit fluid under pressure to a hydraulic motor for actuating and controlling the moving of said yoke in a path substantially perpendicular to that of the moving strip, a stationary cutting mean's adapted to cooperate with the movable cutting means and guide means associated with said yoke for restraining the web to pass within the yoke.

5. A shear for cutting continuous moving strip material into a plurality of shorter lengths comprising a supporting frame, a movable yoke supporting .a plurality of cutting means, control means comprising a strip engaging means for periodically actuating a valve to admit fluidv un- 4der pressure to a hydraulic motor for actuating porting a plurality of cutting means, control means comprising a strip engaging means for periodically actuating a valve to admit fluid under pressure to a hydraulic motor, separate means comprising an' electromagnet for engaging the piston ofsaid4 hydraulic motor and means for deenergizing 'said magnet to release said piston at proper intervals to impart movement to said yoke in a path substantially at right angles to that of the moving strip to be severed, guide means associated with said yoke for restraining the web to pass within the yoke, and a stationary cutting means adapted to cooperate with the movable cutting means and to guide the strip issuing from the yoke.

7. A shear for cutting continuous moving strip material into a plurality of shorter lengths, comprising a supporting frame,a yoke supporting a plurality of cutting means, control means comprising a strip'engaging means for periodically energizing a solenoid valve to admit uid under pressure to a hydraulic motor fory actuating and controlling the movement of said yoke in a path substantially perpendicular to that of said continuous strip, guide means associated with the entry side of said yoke for restraining the web to pass within the yoke and a stationary cutting means adapted to cooperate 'with the `movable cutting means and to serve as a guide for the strip issuing from said yoke.

8. A shear comprising'a frame, a movable yoke supporting a plurality of cutting means, a h1- draulic motor associated with said yoke, a fluid pressure supply system, control means engaging a web'of continuously moving material for actuating a valve to admit fluid under pressure to the hydraulic motor through a pluralityof valves to slowly accelerate said yoke, a hydraulic balance for supporting the weight of said yoke, means for applying full line pressure toquickly accelerate said yoke, means to decelerate and bring said yoke to rest, a 4stationary cutting means adapted to cooperate with .saidmovablecutting m aus.

and guide means associated with said yoke for.

restraining the web to pass within the yoke.

vided with two reciprocating andra common st ationary/blade for this purpose, means for guidingy the strip cut on 'the downstroke along one .plane and along' another plane. when cut on the upstroke, a .plurality of coilers for winding the strip delivered from the shear, and automatic means for guiding'the strip into different coilers. v 10. A shearing "assembly for severing continuously-'moving strip material comprising a supporting frame, a yoke member arrangedy for reciprocating movement in said frame and having an opening therein through which the material may pass, cutting elements provided on opposite edges of said opening, a stationary element supported in said frame to cooperate with said yokesupported cutting Ielements to eiTect severing of the strip when the yoke is moved in opposite directions, means for actuating said yoke in opposed directions, saidstationary-cutting element 11. A shearing assembly according to claim 10 provided witl a plurality of means for storing the material delivered fromfthe shear and means automatically guiding the material to said storage means. p

l2. A shearing assembly according to claimA 1p in which a stationary-cutting element is provided which is equipped with opposite cutting edges and so designed that the support therefor in the plane of the cut has a minimum cross-sectional'thickness.

13. VA shear assembly for intermittently shearing elongate material into shorter lengths and automatically handling the sheared sections comy erecting-reciprocating elements, means for actuating the-reciprocating elements in opposite directions to effect severing f the strip as the reciprocating'elements are actuated in said opposed directions, means for feeding the strip between said fixed and reciprocating cutting elements, a plurality of means for storing the strip delivered from the shearing means, and means `for automatically and selectively guiding vthe strip delivered from the shearinto said storage means.

FLORENCE C. 'BIGGER'.I', JR. 

